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 Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:30 pm
 Syri found himself at the base of the great mountain range, the trees thinned as they rocky terrain took over. It seemed as though he had just been here, but it had in fact been months since his last visit to the mountains. He enjoyed how the air seemed to be so crisp in this area. Stopping, he lifted his nose to draw in the sweet scent of the mountains. During the cold months, Syri avoided the mountain area due to the chilling temperatures. He much prefered the warm lands of the southern territories during the winter. Lazily he walked about, nothing particular in mind. He had no specific destination that had to be reached or a goal to achieve, for now, he was happy just to say he was alive. Over the years, Syri seemed to have mellowed out in his temperment. It use to be so important for him to be an individual, for others to know of him and his deeds... Now, he prefered his solitude. He had come to realize that the world around him was worth exploring and studying.
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:54 pm
Was she coming or was she going? Over the course of her very brief existance in the Kawani Province she had baffled and puzzled a number of creatures. She'd gained a reputation among the smallest creatures as being unpredictable and a little turned around. However, the truth was a touch different from their assumptions and while she may have appeared to meander aimlessly, neither here nor there, she was always acutely aware of what lurked nearby. If she was going to collide with any creature she would move just out of their reach, if she was about to trip upon a fallen log then she would lift her hoof.
It was a natural grace, while most mares worked to perfect a particular 'shimmy' as she liked to call it, she favoured a different approach. Always one to follow her hooves, she would sway just a touch and drift silently across any terrain. It had taken her years to master and she had taught many of her companions in the military this art. So delicate were her steps that even the finest of trackers struggled to keep check on her location. Now if she had been able to mask her scent correctly, she would have been untrackable.
Alas, as it was she didn't possess this ability and didn't give it a great deal of thought.
This week she had been in the lowlands, had been guided to the forests and this morning she found herself on the foothills of a great mountain range. She never questioned the direction of her hooves, merely marvelling at the beauty they found each time they roam and this morning was of no exception. Her delicate smile deepened, her nostrils flared and she lifted her chin just a touch to breathe in the fresh air - it was a sweet mix of both forest and mountain pine, lacking the muggy and humid weight that the air closer to the meadows possessed.
"Oooh, I approve," she murmured softly to no one in particular, her tail swaying gently from left to right as she brushed it's tip against the grass beneath.
Unfortunately she had no one to share her pleasure with in her immediate vicinity, given that her guide had other business to attend to and as a consequence she documented it for later use. She would express her delight and appreciation when they next met up, she supposed that would be later when he managed to figure out which way her hooves had taken her!
...The poor pet.
Alas, as her fel-gaze continued to survey the horizon she got more than she bargained for. Straight in front of her, or at least within walking distance, was the figure of another soquili. Well, well, well - it seemed they didn't all hide in the lowlands, eh?
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:01 pm
Syri's nostrils flared as he was taking in the mountain breeze. Upon the breeze today, there was a scent of another. He opened his eyes and gazed around the immediate area, in the distance his eyes fell upon another soquili. He could tell by the silouette that it was indeed another of his own kind, the horn was a tell tell sign.
Unlike most kirin, he was not bashful and did not mind speaking to others or making himself known... in -most- situations. He lifted his head, his ears alert, he offered a nicker in greetings. He remained still to see if his greeting would be accepted by the stranger or if they preferred their own solitude.
It had been some time since Syri had encountered another in his travels, especially one of his own kind. He had known that most kirin hid in the shadows and watched as others passed by. He never intruded into others space unless invited. He waited patiently for a reply or lack there of.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 5:50 am
She would have bet good money that her family would have fit the 'shy' stereotype to perfection. Unfortunately her rebellious streak had appalled them, she'd been cast out and following this action life had been unkind. She had learnt very quickly that silence and shyness didn't work quite as well as loud and unrivalled confidence. Granted, that loudness had decipated over the years as she had grown into her own skin and her confidence became real rather than a farce... but for the most part her bubbly exhuberance had followed her.
She only hid in the shadows when it was required in warfare - she only shied away as an act. Anything that might ensure her survival on the battlefield was employed, but that didn't mean that she was a damsel. Suffice to say, she rather enjoyed the chattered and social circles she had enjoyed in the past. The thought of reverting to a hermit definitely didn't interest her, some other kirin could embrace that stereotype!
Therefore it should have come at no surprise that her ears swivelled and she lifted a brow at the nicker of greeting. She was generally accustomed to a 'hello' but she was fairly sure she understood the general jist. After all, a nicker was a fairly universal greeting and she would have been surprised if he had suddenly spouted Russian at her!
"Hello to you as well," her nicker always sounded like a giggle, it was better for her to cut to the chase. A smile climbed up on to her lips and she tilted her head to the side, the pendant on her horn swaying slightly to hang at a 45 degree angle. "Pleasant morning, no?" she added and continued forward, coming to a halt just a little distance away.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 7:09 am
He was pleasantly surprised when the other kirin replied to his greeting. It was definitely unexpected, but pleasant none the less. He watched as the figure drew closer, a mare, even more of a surprise. He had found that many mares, not just those of their kind, were often more shy around others than the stallion of the species.
"It's a wonderful morning! I've been exploring this morning, the air is so crisp here." he beamed a smile and looked over her. "I hope the morning has met you well,"
She was a beautiful mare, but her adornments were unusual. He looked quickly over her sashes and delicate pendant dangling from her horn. "You must be one of importance," he stated. He had never seen any of his kind so adorned.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:31 am
He spoke quickly and she had to take a few moments to gather her wits. It was rather early in the morning and she hadn't quite woken up, but after a brief pause she did manage to figure out what he had said. It wasn't his fault, she just wasn't the best morning person. Had it been passed noon she probably would have known what he said instantly. That was the problem with accents and new languages, it always took quite a while to grow accustom to them. Nevertheless, his optimism and brisk manner were a breath of fresh air that turned her mild smile into one of genuine appreciation.
Well, well, well!
The boy had spark!
"To be perfectly honest," she spoke a lot more slowly, dulling her accent a touch so that she could be understood. "I only woke up an hour or so ago, so..." she chuckled and shook her head. "How you say? I still have bed head, muddled mind, yes?" she rolled her shoulders and turned her head briefly to inspect the slopes he had been regarding with such interest before her presence had interrupted him. It was a little more chilly up here than the lowlands, but she had to admit there was a certain beauty to it.
"Ah," his next question returned her to the present and she fell silent as she considered his words. It was an innocent query of course, she was graced with quite a number of trinkets. "I was once," she confirmed slowly and glanced briefly at her drape. Her tail came up to prod at the whisps of light that seemed to escape the trappings. "Not anymore though, changing times - I am no more important that little baby hatched from those strange baskets in village."
"...Although little babies are important in their own way," she added as an after thought.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:43 am
He listened to the mare, having to study a little more than normal to be able to catch what she said. She had an unusual accent, but not one that was terrible. He laughed slightly, "Ah, yes. Still foggy in the mind. I wake terribly early, never been a late sleeper."
"Well, they are beautiful...memories..." He continued to listen as the mare spoke of her past, she didn't seem upset by in inquiry, but he decided best not to make any more of the subject. "Everyone has importance," he nodded, "That's something I... I'm just learning." he would just leave it at that. He was sure she didn't have the desire to hear of his troubles.
"Where do you hail from?" he inquired with a smile.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:07 am
"I would agree," she lifted a brow just a touch and then lowered it again. Her face was often animated, often expressing her true thoughts on a subject. It had moments when it was useful and then other times she would find herself 'busted', in which case another would take offence or she'd be in a tight spot. Granted she doubted he would cause any immediate harm to her but she would sooner not cause any offence. "But at the same time, no being is more important than another all of the time," she pointed out gently.
"Sometimes an individual or a group of individuals will excel at one thing and struggle at another. Balance must be preserved and as a consequence it is advisable to remember that," she shrugged loosely, not entirely sure if her point at come across properly. "When I say I am no more important than a new born babe I am serious. Who is to say this babe will not possess skills in a field I am weak in? The same can be said in reverse."
"...Mortals are imperfect, that would be why we are all equal, nyah?" she shook her head as if chastising herself for chattering on about the subject. She'd bet a number of her trinkets that he'd already been aware of that!
"Eh, I come from lands very far away," she grinned, aware she was stating the obvious. "A place known as Sakhalin - an island very close to Russia."
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:14 am
He listened intently, his head nodding as she spoke. Her point was perfectly clear and one that he shared an agreement to. "Everyone has their strengths... and their weaknesses," she paused then laughed, "That's why you should have friends to cover your faults." he continued to laugh, looking at the mare.
"These are not my homelands ither, though I don't really believe I have a place to call home. I travel here and there, but never really...Settle anywhere." Again he paused. He had traveled so far and for so long that he wasn't sure if he'd ever find his homelands again. He brushed away the thought.
"I'm afraid I can not say I have heard of either," he loved hearing of far away terrains and territories. "What brings you away from home?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:27 am
"War," she replied simply. It had been a number of years since she had lost them all. The day the battlefield had fallen silent and her family had been annihilated. The pain had dulled considerably over time and with her mind preoccupied with her travels, the immediate loneliness that could have overwhelmed her had been stemmed. As much as she missed her comrades she no longer felt the need to weep for them either - enough time had passed and she had honoured them as she had set out to do.
Nevertheless, that didn't prevent the rare moment of silence from causing just a hint of sorrow. She did miss them dearly, they had been her family after all.
"We won, the King died, but my family lost their lives in the conflict," she shifted her gaze up to the peaks and heaved a soft sigh. "The memories were very painful and I was hurting inside, so I chose to leave and find solace in other things," she explained. "I travel very far, see many things!" she turned her gaze back to him and chuckled softly. "For example - they eat ice in certain places but if is all sorts of colours...not like white snow, one day I saw that it was green!"
"Still, I saw all I could in those strange lands and let my hooves take me elsewhere. My family always say it is important to trust your feet and mine took me on many adventures. Most recent is here," she seemed to have finished her explanation though and did return her attention fully to the stallion.
"You have a reason for wandering too I assume, you like strange places as well?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:34 am
He listened to the mare's story, it was a sad one. She indeed had more reason to flee her home than he had, he could think of nothing wise to say in the moment, other than to offer his condolences to her.
"I'm sorry for your losses," he said softly as he took a moment to think of his own family...Not even sure if his parents still lived.
"I suppose, as you, I have just followed my wherever my hooves decided to go..." He looked to her and tilted his head in slight shame, "I didn't want to follow my family's path...yet now, I've found myself yearning for it. It's something I am afraid I will never find again."
His family had been quiet and peaceful. They were happy in the grove where they lived and rarely socialized with those outside of it. Syri had wanted more out of his life, and he had gotten it. He had traveled near and far, but never filled whatever void was in his chest. "In your travels.... Have you found your solice?" he inquired more for his sake than her's.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:48 am
"I'm sorry for them too, but they died fighting for what they believed in," she replied gently and offered another of her small smiles. It may have been years since it happened but the thought still sobered her just a touch, not enough for her to become difficult to endure though. She was grateful for his condolences but if he hadn't said anything, it probably wouldn't have made that much of a difference to her. She had discovered in her travels that some creatures did not excel at such difficult subjects; it wasn't polite to expect them to respond according to what you deemed appropriate.
She fell quiet and listened to his own tale as he spoke, swapping her weight from one back hoof to the other. She was rather surprised hear that on some level he had been rebellious as well. Alas, his parents hadn't thrown him out like her's but he had left of his own accord. Her brows lifted to show this mild surprise and she regarded him with new eyes, evidently there was a bit more to him than just being 'talkative'.
Mmmm, but had she found solace?
"I think that if I had found complete solace then I would know what direction I genuinely wanted to go in my life," she replied after some serious consideration. It was a rather deep rooted question and one that needed careful thought. If she'd found genuinse solace she would have been at peace and probably wouldn't have felt the need to wander. "But I would say I am getting there, it is difficult, but the most lofty goals often are..."
She sucked in a breath through her teeth and eyed him thoughtfully. It seemed that he hadn't quite come to terms with his behaviour as a child and it had left it's mark. While she possessed the confidence in herself, and acceptance of her past, he hadn't quite reached that point just yet. This didn't mean that he wouldn't, it had taken a number of 'shoves' to get her to recognise this herself.
"It is never too late to turn things around," she pointed out and smiled a little wider. "If I can be disowned as a child and rebuild my life into something I am proud of, then there is nothing to stop you from finding that path you long for."
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:57 am
She was a wise mare, that much was evident in her words and thought process. His head lowered just a touch, at little bit of his 'proud' facade disappearing. "There lies my problem,"
He thought for a moment before continuing. "When I was younger, I didn't understand the values that came with the lifestyle of our kind. I didn't want to be shy, reclusive... I wanted to know what's out there," He looked briefly over the mare's shoulder to the lands in the far distance. "There is so much here that my family will never see, I have had many wonderful experiences with soquili and creatures they will never meet...." he sighed slightly, "But even now, I wish I knew what it was to be a 'kirin'," he shook his head slightly.
"I...." he sucked in his bottom lip for a split second during thought, "I wish I had learned what my parents had to offer me,"
He shrugged, knowing that he would likely never see his parents again. Just as well, he knew how badly he had hurt them when he left.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:24 am
"Mmm, there is nothing wrong with reaching for the stars," she responded with such a simplistic tone that argument really didn't seem appropriate. "Some settle into the role of a shy and reclusive being, others settle into roles far more exhuberant and loud... At the time I didn't really understand that," she leant back on the heels of her hooves at allowed a few memories of her childhood to creep into the front of her mind. "I used to find the stereotype boring, I thought my family were cowards and incapable of doing anything truly significant..." she confessed with a wry smile.
"So I experimented, I fell into groups that my parents simply couldn't accept. My lifestyle was too dangerous, I was too tempermental and most of all I didn't seem to have an affinity for the gifts that would have made me a real 'kirin'," she explained. "They were very traditional and had a great many expectations but to stray from the 'ideal' was one thing, to crush it under your hooves was utterly disgusting."
"They threw me out," she crinkled her brow in a slight frown. "I was disowned and they turned their backs on me, the 'impure' soul that had soiled their good name. For a long time I figured that maybe I was worthless and I fell into the wrong crowds again," she cleared her throat and shooed away the uncomfortable memories, just as they were replaced with more gentle memories.
"But when I thought that all was lost, the gods disagreed. It wasn't a Kirin who taught me worth, it was a normal stallion. He recognised what I was, what I could be and it was through his guidance and ministrations that I found what I was looking for, that direction..." her smile grew deeper, her commander had been much like a father to her. He'd been her second chance and without him she suspected she would have died at a very young age, either murdered or through overdose on poisonous mushrooms.
"A 'Kirin' is whatever you choose to define yourself as, I would say that we all have godgiven duties and unique abilities but just because you do not conform absolutely, doesn't mean you can't find those skills," she swung her tail round and pointed to his horn. "If you were not a 'kirin' you would not have that horn or the tail," she informed him with her usual air of confidence.
"My parents never taught me a damned thing," her tone was surprisingly sharp but she teased the bitterness out of it and popped her lips. "My new family did, they weren't ever blessed with the same blood and skills that I was but the principles are the same. While they meditated to find inner peace and core strength, meditation for me brought additional benefits."
She paused.
"The whole experience was foreign, took me years to get used to it. The tingling sensation in my horn as I help others still causes me to giggle, so ticklish!" she pointed out and chuckled. "But you know, I didn't have to suppress who I was to find that...If I really think about it," she hesitated briefly and tilted her head to one side. "No one can tell you what a Kirin is other than yourself."
"I suppose you could always ask another, but I would have a difficulty explaining it myself," she grinned a little. "I defy convention far too much to give an accurate definition - well, if you are looking for the traditionalist approach at least."
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:36 am
Syri shifted his weight from one side to the other, almost intranced by the mare as she spoke. She had lead a life that most of their kind would never even dare to imagine. A warrioress Kirin, it made him smile to himself.
"You know," he smiled and nodded, "You're right." his voice a little more confident than before. "Who's to tell me I'm not a kirin because I'm not like my father?" his ears perked a bit, his tail swatting at an insect that landed on his rump.
"I know the basics of our kind, just... I just need practice." he had run into another kirin, a stallion, that had prompted him to take up the kirin teachings of meditation. He had mastered such and had succeeded, after many many tries, to walk on water and grass untouched. He was a kirin at heart and in ability, but he suddenly realized that those characteristics shouldn't be what defined him.
"You are most definitely right, ...." he paused and then seemed utterly embarrassed.
"It has suddenly occured to me, that I do not even know your name," he tilted his head then lowered it for a moment in a formal greeting, "Syri,"
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